If you own a pet that spends a lot of time outdoors or is always trying to escape out the door, no doubt you’ve worried about them running away and getting lost. You’ve fitted them with a strong collar and a set of I.D. tags, but you realize that might not be enough protection because a collar can be removed or fall off. Tags are important, but the best way to increase the chances that your pet will be found and returned to you if they go missing is to have your pet microchipped. It’s safe, painless, affordable, and effective.
What Is Pet Microchipping?
Animal microchipping has been around for many years. It involves placing a small transmitter called a microchip under the skin of a pet, usually in the loose skin between the shoulder blades. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is enclosed in a glass capsule. The microchip can be imprinted with information that can be read using a special scanner. It is activated by the radio waves emitted by the scanner, so it doesn’t need an internal battery that would need to be replaced periodically so it can stay in place permanently. Virtually all veterinarians and animal shelters have the capability to scan a pet for a chip. If your pet is lost and found by someone who brings it to a vet or shelter, they can scan the information and use it to look up your contact info in a database. Pet microchipping greatly increases the chances that your pet will be returned to you.
How Is A Microchip Implanted?
Your vet will use a hypodermic needle to place the chip under the skin. It’s exactly like getting a routine shot although the needle is slightly larger. No surgery or anesthesia is necessary, and it can be performed in about a minute during the course of a regular checkup.
Is Any Maintenance Required?
Once it’s in place, a microchip doesn’t require any maintenance, although it’s a good idea to have your vet check it for proper functioning occasionally. The only type of maintenance you need to do is to make sure your contact information is kept up to date in the chip registry. If you move and don’t update the registry, a vet or shelter won’t know how to reach you if they find your pet.
Contact Quebec Highlands Animal Clinic in Highlands Ranch, CO, for more information about pet microchipping.
